1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for producing a cooling function, essentially for the purpose of controlling pests or insects in or on a target or a target surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to an activatable unit on the one hand, with a nozzle arrangement having one or more nozzles that include one or more discharge orifices so arranged as to be capable of being directed towards the target or the target surface at a predetermined distance, and on the other hand to a source of carbon dioxide or some other environmentally friendly substance, connected or capable of being connected to the nozzle arrangement via one or more connections, for the generation of snow particles.
Among other aspects, the arrangement in question is an arrangement for executing control measures against vermin, either directly or indirectly, in or on objects giving shelter to the vermin (substrates or similar) or in or on substances (e.g., flour or similar). The expression “vermin” denotes different forms of pests and their different life cycles (eggs, larvae, etc.). Insects, maggots, bacteria, wood lice, mites, etc., can be mentioned by way of example.
The invention also pertains to an application of snow particles generated in the unit, for example dry snow particles, which exit from the unit in larger and smaller sizes selected within a predetermined range of sizes and emerge at different velocities which lie within a predetermined range of speeds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Previously disclosed in various contexts is the control of vermin in the form of such insects, invertebrates, bacteria, etc., by the application of a snow-generating arrangement and methods, with the help of which the vermin in question to be controlled are attacked. Reference can be made inter alia to PCT Publication No. WO 00/02446 A1, which is based on Swedish Patent Application 9803530-6. That application proposes, among other things, a nozzle arrangement and a method for the production of snow for the purpose of environmentally friendly insect control. The inventors in that application are also the inventors in the present patent application.
Also previously disclosed, for example through U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,643 A, is the utilization of snow-generating functions in which snow application is intended to cause slow degassing in order to asphyxiate the vermin, insects, etc., in question with the generated gas.
Also previously disclosed are a number of different, alternative gas-generating decontaminating devices, which utilize carbon dioxide in conjunction with pest control, and reference can be made here to U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,756 A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,199 A.
Also previously disclosed, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,546 A, is a proposal for control measures based on control by means of freezing or cooling of the objects to be controlled.
The design of snow-generating equipment is also previously disclosed in itself, and reference may be made in this context to U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,979 A, which relates to snow particle-generating equipment having nozzle and discharge functions which give different sizes of snow particles and associated snow particle velocities, which are adapted in the first instance for cleaning purposes.